


Highness

by serenbach



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Love Confessions, M/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-23
Updated: 2017-10-23
Packaged: 2019-01-21 16:53:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12461943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serenbach/pseuds/serenbach
Summary: Ignis was sure it would be difficult for anyone to realise that they had developed romantic feelings for their closest friend but it was so much more difficult when that closest friend happened to be a prince. For Ignis "Highness" becomes less of a title and more of a term of endearment.(Or: that day Noctis was amazed to discover that when Ignis said "Highness" what he meant was "I love you.")





	Highness

**Author's Note:**

> I literally woke up to write this. I'm going to hate myself at work tomorrow.

Noctis looked terrible when Ignis let himself into his apartment.

His eyes were bloodshot and watery, his nose red and sore from blowing it, his lips chapped, his hair limp and dangling in his eyes. The cold that had stricken most of the Council had hit Noct hard.

Noct was lying on the sofa, swaddled in blankets, the television on mute. He looked truly dreadful, and Ignis sighed to himself in sympathy.

Noct squinted tiredly at Ignis when he approached the sofa and brushed his hair back so he could check his temperature.

“You’re gonna get sick, Iggy,” he mumbled stuffily, but he still curled his legs to let Ignis sit next to him.

“I brought you something to eat,” Ignis informed him, ignoring the likelihood of that statement.  

Noct shook his head, looking queasy just at the thought of eating.

“I think you’ll like this,” Ignis continued, pulling a ramakin of chocolate mousse out from the tupperware he’d bought with him. Light enough to be easy for Noct to eat, sweet enough to tempt him to eat despite his lack of appetite, or so Ignis hoped.   

It made Noct smile, at least. Ignis felt his own lips turn upwards in response. “You bought me pudding?” he asked, shuffling awkwardly into a sitting position to take the little pot from him.

“I did,” Ignis replied. “Let me get you a spoon.” He headed into the kitchen, putting the container with the rest of the puddings into the fridge, and returning with a spoon.

Noct took it from him more eagerly than Ignis had expected, dipped it in and tasted it, his eyes closing in enjoyment. When he opened them again, his eyes were shiny from more than just fever.

“This is really good, Specs,” Noct said with a tired but pleased grin. “Can you make it for me again when I can taste it properly?”

Ignis nodded silently over the growing swell of affection in his heart.

Ignis was sure it would be difficult for anyone to realise that they had developed romantic feelings for their closest friend – there was the worry of making things awkward with a confession, or ruining the friendship entirely if things didn’t work out – but it was so much _more_ difficult when that closest friend happened to be a prince.

There was so much separating them, and so much more than just Noct’s friendship at stake if he confessed, which is why Ignis had no intention of doing so. He didn’t even let himself consider the (admittedly remote) possibility that Noctis felt the same. He was too practical to torture himself over impossible situations.

But as much as Ignis was resigned to keeping such feelings to himself there were times, like this one, when Noct looked at him like _that_ , that he could feel his resolve slipping, the words he longed to say almost coming to his lips.

This time, however, his court training helped him.

“Of course, Highness,” he replied, as Noct continued to look at him hopefully.

A flicker of a smile passed over Noct’s face before he looked exhausted again. Ignis patted his blanketed knee and rose to his feet to get some fresh water, forcing such considerations out of his mind. He had other things to focus on.

\---

A week or so later, when Ignis was suffering himself from a heavy cold, Noctis appeared at his bedside, looking concerned. “I told you you’d get sick,” he announced, but his tone was sympathetic.

Ignis would have rolled his eyes if his head hurt just a little less.

“I bought you some soup from that deli you like,” Noct continued, putting his hand on his forehead, as Ignis had done for him not so long ago, “and some of the cold medicine you left for me. Do you think you can manage it?”

He sat next to Ignis on the bed, worry written all over his face.

Ignis felt that inconvenient surge of emotion again, and again habit saved him from making a (probably incoherent) declaration of affection. “Thank you, Highness.”

Noctis nodded, his expression going still as he hopped off the bed. “I’ll be right back then,” he said. “Don’t go anywhere.”

\---

It started off as a way to centre himself. Every time he felt that warmth in his chest, or the ridiculous urge to just confess to Noctis took hold of him, Ignis would call him “Highness.”

It was a reminder of their positions, their responsibilities, and for a while it worked.

But slowly, Highness became less of a title and more of an endearment. Every affectionate name that he called Noctis in his mind came out of his mouth as Highness. Every time he wanted to tell Noct that he loved him, he would say Highness instead. He couldn’t help the overly warm way he said it, but he was sure no one else had noticed, not even Noctis himself.

It was a perfectly good system that worked for years, and would have probably kept on working, if it wasn’t for the fact that Ignis found himself gored by a dualhorn on one otherwise unremarkable day on their journey.  

The last thing Ignis heard before he lost consciousness was Noct screaming his name.

The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes again was Noct kneeling in front of him, his face drained of all colour, his hand still gripping his own from when he evidently helped him to crush a phoenix down.

“Back with us, Iggy?” he asked, but from his expression Ignis could tell that it had been a closer call than normal.

“Apologies,” he said, pushing himself to an upright position, frowning at the tear in his shirt.

“Yeah well,” Noct said, and there was a quaver his voice that he was trying to hide. “Just… try not to die, okay?”

Ignis’ heart ached at the look on Noct’s face. He reached forward and squeezed his shoulder wishing, as he had done so many time since the start of their journey, that he could do anything to take some of his burdens away. “Duly noted, Highness.”  

Noct made an attempt at a smile, and helped tug Ignis to his feet. If Noct’s hand lingered in his for a moment longer than necessary, Ignis told himself it was merely wishful thinking on his part.

\---

That night, Ignis had company by the campfire as he attempted to mend the rip in his shirt.

The fourth time Noct’s head lolled back against his chocobo, Ignis smiled to himself and put his sewing on an empty chair as he bent down to shake Noctis awake.

“… not asleep,” Noctis murmured convincingly, and Ignis laughed.

“Well, why don’t you not be asleep in the tent with the others? I’m sure you’ll be more comfortable.”

Noctis shook his head, rubbing at his eyes. “I’ll wait until you’re done.”

Ignis paused, his hand still on Noct’s shoulder. He was sure that this had something to do with his mishap in battle, but equally didn’t want to make a fuss over it and cause Noct to feel uncomfortable. Instead he assured Noctis, “well, I won’t be much longer,” as he returned to his half-mended shirt.

Noct followed him over, sitting on the next chair and peering at his work. “Your stitches are much neater than mine,” he admitted, watching him as he worked.

“I’ve had a lot of practice,” Ignis said, giving him a sidelong look.

“Hey, do you remember when you fixed the eye on my chocobo when we were kids?” Noctis asked with a sudden grin.

“I remember you acted like Mr. Feathers was actually undergoing surgery,” Ignis answered with a laugh, remembering Noct’s overwhelming concern for the well-loved cuddly toy when he realised that Noct was no longer sitting down.

He was standing in front of him, and Ignis just had time to register the awkward but determined look on his face before he bent down and kissed him.

Ignis shirt fell to the floor as he gave himself over to the kiss, not even caring that the needle would be a lost cause, both of his hands gently cradling Noct’s cheeks as he did so.

When Noct finally pulled away, it took a long moment for Ignis to realise that he had his eyes closed. Noctis was watching him almost warily, waiting for a reaction.

Ignis smiled at him, overwhelmed. “ _Highness…_ ” he breathed, but Noct flinched as if he’d pushed him away. 

He huddled in on himself, looking away. “Look, today was…” Noctis shrugged. “I know you don’t want –”

“I do,” Ignis said, surprising himself with the vehemence of his statement. Years of resolve had melted away just from one kiss. “I do want you, Noct, if you want me.”

Noct frowned at him. “You called me Highness,” he said, sounding sad, and it hurt to hear. “The way you always do when things get too… close.” Ignis stared at him in surprise. He hadn’t realised that Noct had noticed all the times he had called him Highness, or in the circumstances in which he did so. “Like you’re pushing me away.”

Well, if Noct could be honest, so could he. “If anything, it’s the opposite.” Noct’s head jerked upwards, looking at him intently. “Highness is the only endearment I ever allowed myself. Outside of official moments, I only ever used it when I meant something else.”

“Yeah?” Noct asked, sounding hopeful. His arms had come down from their defensive position. “Like what?”

“Like darling,” Ignis said, standing and taking a step closer to him, close enough that he could see Noct’s smile in the darkness. “Or love,” he added as he reached for Noct, who came eagerly into his arms, his head tipping back, his eyes closing. “Or babe,” Ignis finished with a smirk as Noct’s eyes flew open.

“You ruined it!” Noctis cried, and _then_ Ignis kissed him.

“I do love you, Highness,” Ignis reassured him, several dozen kisses later.

“Technically, it’s Majesty now,” Noct pointed out, managing a smile as he said it, and Ignis laughed.

"I'll try and remember," he promised, before kissing him again.

\---

(Ten years later, Ignis listened to Noctis' footsteps fade away as he climbed the steps to the Citadel. He said “Godspeed, Majesty,” and prayed that Noctis understood.)    

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry about the sneak angst at the end. Not that it matters though as we all know Noct lives happily ever after, right?


End file.
